INSIDE, PAGE B7: LOCAL COMMUNITY CALENDAR
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Football practice begins for county schools
Meet Elmore County Pet of the Week — Sandy
SPORTS, B1
PAGE B7
THE WETUMPKA HERALD Elmore County’s Oldest Newspaper - Established 1898
Wetumpka, AL 36092
50¢
WEDNESDAY • AUGUST 9, 2017
THEWETUMPKAHERALD.COM
VOL. 119, NO. 32
Mayor: Work on Hampton Inn could resume ‘any time’
By DAVID GRANGER Managing Editor
What had all the appearances of a brief, uneventful Wetumpka City Council meeting ended up providing those in attendance with a positive
update on the long-dormant Hampton Inn construction on South Main Street. Other than the routine approval of minutes from its previous meeting, the council’s agenda consisted of a single item – “Approve dumpster location agreement” – which, at first glance,
seemed without import. However, the dumpster in question was being placed by the new general contractor for the Hampton Inn project, which Mayor Jerry Willis said he could not and would not name, for the dumping of debris from renewed work
on the hotel. As a result, in the work session prior to the meeting, Councilman Percy Gill asked about any progress at the hotel. Mayor Jerry Willis responded, saying continuation of the construction See COUNCIL • Page A2
Elmore County engineer joins national board, talks perks
Edwards attorney pleads ‘not guilty’ on client’s five charges By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer
By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer
Elmore County recently landed a high profile official on a national association of county governments, a move touted for its strategic placement of the county at the forefront of both national and state policies relating to county government. The National Association of Counties represents roughly 3,069 counties on the federal level across the nation and in late July Elmore County Engineer Richie Beyer was appointed to its board. According to a county press release, “Richie is the first Alabama County Engineer to serve in this role in recent history and is a past president of NACE (National Association of County See ENGINEER • Page A2
David Granger / The Herald
Elmore County Superintendent Richard Dennis, school board member Joey Holley and county bus drivers pose for photographs in front of one of 59 new buses the school system will put on the road on Tuesday’s first day of school.
County school bus fleet gets 59 new buses By DAVID GRANGER Managing Editor
Residents of Elmore County will see a lot of new buses on the road this school year as Elmore County Schools unveiled 59 new 2018 buses today that will serve to replace 47 percent (59 of 126) of the buses used last school year. “It’s going to put us in a position to put our fleet where it needs to be do that we can better serve our communities, ” said Elmore County Schools Superintendent Richard Dennis, who
attended the unveiling directly after the system’s annual Institute Day, a giant pep really that helps kick off the system’s new school year. “With 59 new buses, we’re going to really be in a great position to make sure that our students are safe and that we have adequate transportation. “It’s a big part of what we do is getting them to and from school. It’s a classroom on wheels. Obviously, the safety factor becomes a See BUSES • Page A3
The attorney for Marcus Edwards plead not guilty to five counts of charges that came from his recent grand jury indictment, including one capital murder charge, three subsequent murder charges and a first-degree assault from the March 2016 Wetumpka driveby shootings. Edwards, 33, stood alongside his attorney T. Robin McIntyre who spoke on his behalf to Elmore County Circuit Judge Bill Lewis Tuesday. Lewis had just finished reading through the July grand jury indictments that accused Edwards of capital murder in the shooting death of Deosha Jackson, 19, of Wetumpka’s Level community, Jacoreian Jennings also of Wetumpka and Daryl Hunt, 48, of Elmore. Lewis said he was also indicted on the three deaths individually making up the See ARRAIGNMENT • Page A3
Elmore County schools accepting free, reduced-price meal applications By DAVID GRANGER Managing Editor
Edgewood seniors celebrate last first day Submitted / The Herald
Edgewood Academy’s Class of 2018 started their last first day of school with a senior parade. Cheers and tears mixed as the seniors paraded past family and friends. The seniors enjoyed breakfast and fellowship with their classmates after the parade. shown here are, front row, Chapel Courson, Hunter Merritt, Cooper James, Addison Hunt, Cade James, Brandon Boone, Gabe Maynard, Matt Williams and, back row, Hannah Allen, Ashley O’Brien, Alyssa Brown, Sara Grace Ellis, Peyton Rodie, Madison Maddox, Erika Guthrie, Kallie Johnson, Jordyn Burleson, Kaitlyn Sampson, Brooke Carr, Gracie Thornton and Elizabeth Crosby.
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Elmore County Public Schools announced recently its policy for free and reduced-price meals for children served in schools under the National School Lunch Program and/or School Breakfast Program. Depending on the student’s household size and household income, he or she may be eligible for free or reduced-price meals. Households earning as little as $302 a week (for a single-person household) to
as much as $1,471 per week (for a household with eight people) or more (depending on if there are more than eight – and, if so, how many? – in the household) may be eligible for free or reduced price breakfasts and/or lunches with milk. “Once the application is submitted, we have 10 days to process it and, understand, at the beginning of the school year, we’re processing thousands of applications and we do them as quickly as we can possibly See MEALS • Page A3
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